Of the three new exhibits at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, two of them are supposedly calls to action, while the third, by Indiana-based art teacher Robin Coyner, isn't. Coyner writes in his artist's statement that he seeks whimsy over philosophy. But it's easy to see that all three set goals — both metaphorical and literal — and seek them with aplomb.

In "The Self-Portrait … Expression Unlimited," 26 artists set out to paint, photograph, sculpt and draw reflections of themselves. The result is 36 different representations of the self, each with its own approach to the assignment. Rachel Witt's "Rivers of Grace" is a 200-piece mosaic that tries to illuminate truths about global starvation, warfare, literacy and human trafficking.

"What a Tangled Web We Weave" features Coyner's bright acrylic renditions of nature sliced together with those of artifice and pop culture on large, eye-catching wooden panels. It forces the viewer to look at humankind with a critical eye.

"The Self-Portrait… Expression Unlimited" makes its home in the Tippecanoe Arts Federation's East Gallery, its largest space. Many of these framed portraits hang right next to each other. Their closeness emphasizes what opposites they are.

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Sydney Zentall's piece is titled "After a Divorce." She has deep-set eyes, marks of red that resemble blood and an outline that seems to come apart in a mess of hot dripping paint. Next to her is the smiling Diane Camberato, who paints herself smiling in the sun with foliage in the background. "Shine," sporting brightly-contrasting solid colors, embodies the effervescence of Princess Diana.

The 30-odd members of Art Cenacle — a collective of artists who meet regularly to discuss, critique and present art — gave each other the assignment to do a self-portrait, whether or not they felt experienced or comfortable enough to do it. With so many personalities and interpretations, their exhibit is disorienting in a good way.

"Some people did their comfort zone," said Art Cenacle member Susan Doster. "But some people chose to move away from it."

Doster paints herself with a measured hand, balancing elements of light and composition with grace. She has painted self-portraits for decades.

By contrast, Jim Ferringer, a digital photographer, has avoided them throughout his career. His piece, "Made for Walking," a tribute to a new pair of black boots, is unrestrained.

It bursts with artifice and personality: A moon shines behind his head like a halo, while two hands on either side of his standing figure reach out toward him in a nod to Michelangelo. The arched shapes shooting out of the fingertips even look like doves.

"I'm not used to this side of the camera," Ferringer said.

Doster challenged herself as well. She painted on wood instead of canvas, meaning her strokes had to be unapologetic. She wasn't used to that.

"On canvas, like in Rembrandt's portraits, it's more self-reflective and nuanced. This was quicker," she said. "When you make a change, it's there to see for all time."

Witt's exhibit sets perhaps the biggest goal, and it shows. Like the works of Art Cenacle, her piece is personal, but it also has a global scale.

She was traveling with her husband in Egypt in early 2011 when the Arab Spring erupted. Violence broke out on the streets. She saw the tanks, the blood on the pavement, all the images that people are used to seeing on news.

Yet the most telling moment came one uneventful morning, when she noticed a woman carrying a basket to the market. Amid war, everyday life marched on.

"People will continue to try and live. What we want in life is all pretty similar," she said.

The result of that realization — that there's more to conflict zones than conflict — is "Rivers of Grace," a mosaic consisting of 200 tiles glued from 15,000 individual pieces of glass and other material. Each tile represents a country, with symbols denoting poverty, literacy, life expectancy and other statistics.

If the exhibits by Art Cenacle and Witt are the Tippecanoe Arts Federation's hard-hitting entrées, then Coyner's is the sparkling dessert array. Its colors attract the eye immediately. This is the one that will leave you dazzled. But the irony within the images here also leave the mind tangled up in a knot.

"Pink Eye" has a focal point that sits uncomfortably in the dead center of the frame — then you see the human eye, the black pupil, the tiger, its whiskers, the pink eyes, the ears, the squares.

"Tickling the Ivories," another painting imbued with social commentary, is a depiction of hands groping at an elephant. It's uncomfortable, but not heavy-handed. If it's the last thing you see at this varied trio of exhibits, you'll leave with that feeling you get from interesting, accessible art — neither baffled nor entirely gratified, but tickled.

If you go

What: "The Self-Portrait … Expression Unlimited," "Rivers of Grace" and "What a Tangled Web We Weave"